No Way Back
by Gothic984
Summary: It's been two weeks since the wedding of the century and life is settling back down, or so Selena Coombs believes.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Black Wedding.

It was a hot, sticky early June evening in Trinity South Carolina. A warm breeze rustled through the leaves in trees; however, it gave no break from the sweltering sun that remained high in the sky. As the sun beat down on the town's residents, the heat was nearly unbearable.

Selena Coombs sauntered down Main Street wearing a tight black vest and a short leopard print mini skirt. Her attire never changed throughout the seasons; however, she was happy for the hot weather in the Summer months, as it easier and more acceptable for her to show off her toned figure.

It had been a surprisingly pleasant 2 weeks for her, considering the stunt she had pulled at the wedding of the century. She had expected severe consequences for going behind Lucas' back and freeing Christie when he was clearly not finished with her. Selena had been on edge since the wedding, constantly looking over her shoulder and expecting some awful punishment for her actions; however, to her surprise no retaliation had came.

She was not naive, she knew Lucas was very patient; however, when it came to things that personally impacted him, he could not control his temper so something should have been done by now. It appeared to her that the lovely prim and proper Mrs Buck may have rubbed off on him, especially now that he had something new to explore. Selena was finally starting to relax into the realisation that Lucas Buck was just too distracted with his new wife to care about her, which meant she was free to roam around the Town as she saw fit.

It was not quite late enough for her kind of people to come out of the woodwork just yet; therefore, she was left with the boring residents of Trinity, who were finishing up for the day. She smiled confidently at the disapproving looks she was getting and continued on her way, in the hopes of finding someone to entertain her before she died of boredom.

Lucas stood in a dark alleyway on the opposite side of the Street, watching his prey saunter down the sidewalk. She appeared oblivious to the scolding remarks and whispers she was getting; however, he knew her all too well and she was not as confident as she outwardly projected. Deep down she had an overwhelming need for intimacy and like a child, she was so desperate for approval and acceptance that she would do anything for it.

He had previously allowed her to be a part of his important things, letting her in to his way of life and allowing her to reap the benefits of their once successful union. Her commitment to his cause had impressed him and allowed him to reveal a small part of himself that he could not show to anyone else, until he grew close to Gail. He had been amused by the creative ways she came up with to goad certain important men in Trinity around to his way of thinking, in an attempt to convince him that they were both the same; however, she had proven herself to be disloyal for the second time now and there would not be a third.

Lucas let out a small laugh and shook his head, he did not believe in second chances and had she have been anyone else, she would have been eliminated after she caused the death of his unborn child; however, he had been fond of her once and part of him had not wanted to give up his pet, with how easily she could be convinced to go against her own will to obey him. Alas, that ship had long sailed and it was time that Selena bore full witness to his true self.

Lucas exited the cover and began to slowly walk down the Street, nodding politely at the people that he passed. He stalked her casually and smiled to himself as he went, the game had begun and there was no stopping him now.

Selena noticed the whispers behind her had ceased and held her head up high confidently, until she sensed something familiar. She glanced over her shoulder to see Lucas casually strolling down the sidewalk on the opposite side to her and felt the air catch in her throat. She continued on her way for a few moments, choosing not to show any weakness; however, she sensed his dark gaze on her and began to feel unsteady on her feet.

Selena knew Lucas well, he liked to play before allowing a release and she had no doubt that this is what he was doing now. Rather than being just another victim in Trinity, she took a deep breath and turned around to face him. She would not be intimidated like the others before her and would stand her ground, in the hopes that he would see her worth and let this go.

Lucas looked at Selena head on, as he sensed her play. Part of him admired her misplaced courage and the thought of her standing up to him amused him.

Selena stared at Lucas defiantly for a moment, then mustered up all her courage and began crossing the road. Suddenly the heel on her shoe broke and she stumbled forward a few steps clumsily. She managed to regain her balance and composure quickly, then stood up straight, smoothed off her tight skirt and smiled triumphantly. If that was all he had right now, she would take it with a smile.

Lucas continued to gaze at her nonchalantly waiting for her to make her move, all the while feeling his dark twin slowly flow out of him. Her efforts were commendable for what little that was worth; however, it was too late for her and no amount of prowess would help her now.

Selena bent down and took off her shoes to enable her to walk more steady, then took another step forward. Suddenly she heard a loud screech and she was hit by a car, which had appeared out of nowhere. She was thrown up into the air with the force of the impact and her body crashed back down to the ground with such violent force that she felt her leg break instantly, before she passed out when her head hit the sidewalk.

Lucas inhaled deeply as he watched her broken body smash against the sidewalk like a battered doll, then smiled devilishly as the screams came from all around him. He wanted to take his time to savour her misery and this was not the place for his true feelings to show; therefore, he strolled back towards his car casually, to radio for an ambulance.

* * *

All the windows were wide open in the main study of the Buck Mansion, to allow some fresh air about the place. Gail Buck sat on her husbands favourite chair with a large tower fan blowing cool air towards her, as she nursed their baby.

It had been a strange 2 weeks after their wedding and Gail did not know whether she was coming or going. If she was not having to answer the same questions over and over about the honeymoon she had not even considered planning, she was having to endure small talk with strangers who appeared to believe talking to her would put them in high regard with her husband. All the false niceties were beginning to infuriate her and she had decided to shut herself away in this obscenely large prison today, just to get away from it all.

Gail was a Buck now and Lucas would not let her forget that. He had made it clear that he wanted her to embrace all that came with being his wife and he would not be impressed that she had locked herself away, even for just one day; however, she did not care what he thought at this moment in time and she still had her own free will, no matter how much of an illusion Lucas tried to convince her that it was.

This past week had been harder than she had anticipated and it was proving more difficult to hide that fact from her new husband as the days passed. She was plagued by nightmares about unspeakable things and when she thought back to their wedding day, she found it hard to catch her breath. She could not look at Caleb for long, without experiencing a deep rooted feeling of rage and she did not understand why she felt this way. She was also experiencing visions of blood everywhere, in her drink, in her food, even on the steering wheel of her Mustang.

To top it all off, she had been experiencing an unnatural urge to hurt things. She had neglected all her gardens, whether it be her old property or this extravagant cage she found herself in. She had been having ill feelings towards Billy, Christie, Rita and Ben, for no apparent reason other than that they were just there. When she was intimate with Lucas, she wanted to hurt him so badly that she could not control herself; however, she had managed to turn those desires into a game which he happily reciprocated. The matter was getting out of hand and she felt as though she was on edge all of the time.

Luke let out a small burp and Gail glanced down lovingly at him, then gasped when she saw blood on the fingertips of the hand that was holding his head securely. She took a deep breath then closed her eyes tight, when she opened them again the blood was gone and she let out a relieved sigh.

Something was terribly wrong here, she was having having dark thoughts about the people she held close and this was not her. The thought worried her and she was starting to feel like she was going crazy. Gail did not know what was going on; however, if something did not give in soon, she would break.

Suddenly she sensed an intrusion so she pulled up her vest, then stood up carefully with Luke and began pacing the Study as she winded him. When Caleb popped his head around the open door of the Study, she did not acknowledge him and just continued stroking Luke's back.

'I thought you'd be out workin' or somethin'' Caleb stated, not expecting to see anyone home at this time of day.

'Or something' Gail repeated in a low tone to herself and continued to pace the room.

Caleb regarded her cautiously for a moment and decided to keep his distance. After the incident with Christie at the wedding, he did not know how to act around her and did not want to cause any problems. 'Is my Daddy home?' he asked, hoping someone else was around to break the tension between them.

'Lucas is out doing whatever Lucas does, I just want some peace' Gail sighed, as she placed Luke in his Moses basket gently, then sat back down on Lucas' chair and placed her head in her hands frustratingly.

Caleb watched her for a moment, concerned for his new Step Mother and toyed with the notion of comforting her; however, he just walked out of the room and headed for his bedroom. He did not want to be alone with Gail for long when she was in this state and he hoped his Father would return home soon.

Gail sensed Caleb's distrust of her and laughed at how ironic that was. It was curious that he was worried about being alone with her and she began to wonder what had happened between them at the wedding that would cause that reaction.

Every time she tried to think about Caleb, her mind would go blank and she would experience a sharp headache, which only added to her frustration. She pulled her knees up on the chair and leaned her head back on the grandfather chair, then closed her eyes to block out the world. Her lack of memory about certain things was very concerning; however, that thought slipped out her mind as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Merlyn lay peacefully on Matt's chest as he had dozed off on the coach. He had put Lucy in bed for a nap and they had decided to stay up late to watch a few movies; however, it was evident that his busy day had caught up with him.

She inhaled his scent and let out a long breath, then stroked his chest softly. Merlyn knew he was much older and more experienced than her; however, she yearned to be touched by him and her restlessness of late seemed to melt away whenever she was close to him.

Matt stirred for a moment, then slowly opened his eyes at the sound of a loud explosion from the television. He glanced around the room alarmed, then remembered where he was and shifted his position to allow him to stretch. 'I'm sorry, a young girl like you should be out having fun rather than being stuck with an old man who can't keep his eyes open past 6pm'

Merlyn shifted slightly to allow him to stretch, then smiled when his arm rested over her shoulders and she was able to lay her head back on his chest. 'I've had enough excitement in my life, there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now' she said, as she stroked his chest.

Matt had been careful not to overstep the boundaries with M, he knew their closeness could be deemed as inappropriate and had no desire to give Lucas Buck any ammunition against them; however, he was tired and did not have the strength to resist his desire for her after the day he'd had. He leaned his head down and inhaled her scent, then stroked his fingers down her bare arm gently. Her skin was so soft, he found himself wanting to trail his lips over her shoulder and kiss it gently.

Merlyn inhaled deeply at the tingling sensation of his fingers trailing down her skin and felt a strange warmth inside of her. Usually Matt would not entertain this closeness; however, she sensed his resistance disappear and scratched her nails down his chest.

Matt felt the tips of her nails through his T Shirt and let out an involuntary moan. He knew this was wrong and he should fight his urges; however, this pure soul appeared to truly want him and he was sick of denying their attraction.

Merlyn stared up at him innocently, then licked her lips. She leaned her head towards him as his lips came to hers and closed her eyes as he kissed her softly. A warm sensation began to flow through her and she tangled her fingers in his hair, then pulled him to her more forcefully. She was ready for whatever this led to and had never felt more alive than what she did right now.

Suddenly the telephone rang and Matt pulled away from their embrace, then cursed out loud. Merlyn watched as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, then got up to answer the telephone.

'You've got to be kidding me...now?' he asked in disbelief, as he shot his companion an apologetic look.

Merlyn got up from the couch and shook her head, as she walked to the large open window in the living room. She knew that tone all to well from other times he had been called into work and she knew she could not contend with his profession.

Matt hung up the telephone and approached her slowly, he saw the defeated way she held herself and cursed himself for having to be on call all the time. 'I'll make this up to you, I promise' he whispered, as he rubbed her shoulders softly.

Merlyn inhaled and leaned back into him, allowing him to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her to him. If he was going to leave, she would happily remind him what he would be missing. 'Hurry back, before I decide I do need some excitement in my life' she teased, then placed a soft kiss on his lips and signalled for him to leave.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Selena woke up with a start in an uncomfortable hospital bed, then stared up at the bright light on the ceiling. She reached up to touch her aching head and winced in pain, as she felt the large lump on her temple. Her mind was hazy; however, she recalled Lucas' steady gaze and then being hit by a car. She could not believe that he had actually allowed her to get hurt and the realisation that their past history meant nothing to him caused tears to form in her eyes.

'Oh please, a few cuts and bruises are nothin'...I believe we can do better than that Darlin'' Lucas said amused, as he leaned against the wall by the door.

Selena turned her head slowly to face him and bit her lip to stifle her pained moan. 'Would your new bride approve of this Sheriff? I hear that little bird is struggling with certain things as it is' she said cattily, knowing better than to behave like a victim.

Lucas laughed and shook his head. 'That little bird is doin' just fine Teacher, in fact we've been at it so much lately that I wouldn't be surprised if we had another addition to the family soon...I guess that's insensitive of me to say to you though, please accept my apologies Miss Coombs' he said sarcastically, then started to walk out of the room.

Selena felt a knot in her stomach at his comment and concern flooded through her. 'What do you mean Lucas? What did you do?' she asked frantically.

Lucas turned back towards her and smiled fiendishly. 'You know me better than that Darlin'...I don't do anythin', things just happen' he stated with a cruel undertone, then turned away and exited the hospital room.

Selena watched as he left, then stared back up at the bright light on the ceiling again. Something was very wrong, she could feel it; however, all she could do was lay obediently in this unconfortable bed and wait for a Doctor to visit her.

* * *

Gail was awoken by the feeling of soft lips just above her ankle, she opened her eyes to Lucas kneeling in front of her and taking her foot gently in his hand, then running his lips softly up the inside of her leg. She remained still for a moment, allowing him to do what he wanted then let out a small moan when he began kissing the inside of her thigh.

Lucas smiled at her reaction and parted her legs slowly, then leaned in close to her. 'It's a bit early for you to be sleepin' Mrs Buck, have I been workin' you too hard?' he asked seductively, then began kissing and sucking her neck softly.

Gail leaned to the side to provide him access to her neck for a moment, then gently took his chin in her hand and brought his face up to hers. 'Don't flatter yourself Master Buck' she teased, then placed a passionate kiss on his lips.

Lucas ran his hand through her hair and pulled her closer, as he kissed fer forcefully. He was pent up after what he had done to Selena and needed a release.

Gail sensed his urgency and pulled away from the embrace. She was not unfamiliar with these types of visits from him throughout the day, as they shared an unnatural appetite for each other; however, she sensed this visit was caused by something else and it peaked her curiosity. 'What have you been up to today?' she asked suspiciously.

'What have you been up to?' he asked in frustration, not impressed that she had stopped his fun.

Gail stared at him knowingly, sensing he had done something and that he was trying to turn this on her. She knew he would not react well to her hiding away here; however, she would not be intimidated into turning the other way when something had clearly happened. When Lucas just stared back at her in a dominant manner, she held his gaze and refused to back down.

Luke sensed the tension between his parents and began to cry. Lucas continued to silently challenge his love for a moment, then turned his attention to his youngest son and picked him up gently in his arms. 'You know it ain't healthy for a growin' boy to be cooped up all day don't you?' Lucas said judgementally, trying to hide his irritation.

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'You know it ain't healthy for a new Mother to be hounded to death by strangers don't you?' Gail retorted as she stood up, walked towards the open window and leaned out of it carefully.

Lucas watched as she closed her eyes and allowed the warm breeze to blow through her hair. She reminded him of a wild flower, beautiful, fierce and yearning to be free. Like him she was not meant to be tamed and the fact that he had managed to bind her to him officially was quite the accomplishment. 'You have a duty to accept the kindness of my townspeople Gail, you knew it would be like this' he shrugged, as he rocked Luke gently in his arms.

'Kind or busybodies?' she snapped, then took a deep breath of fresh air to calm herself.

'That's rich comin' from you Darlin'' Lucas laughed, then instantly regretted the comment when he saw her demeanour change.

Gail looked over her shoulder in disbelief then calmly walked over to him, took Luke out of his arms and placed him back into his Moses basket. 'I knew in my gut that you were rotten from the moment I saw your name on my parents police report' Gail said as she stood up to meet him face to face, 'Meeting you in person and knowing you now confirms what I felt back then, but I guess I'm a busybody for trying to expose your true nature to your little sheep am I?'

Lucas smiled at her ability to disregard his power, then stroked her cheek tenderly. 'There'll be no more of that talk now that we're bound for life soul mate' he stated smugly.

'Or what?' Gail asked defiantly, then smiled when she saw the dark glint in his eyes. She would not sacrifice her beliefs for any man and if he wanted a fight she would give him one.

The sound of Gail's mobile telephone echoed throughout the Study; however, the pair did not take their eyes off of each other. When the ringing stopped, two message alerts sounded and Lucas smiled knowingly. 'You might wanna get that love, we wouldn't want you to miss out on an exclusive' he advised and watched amused as she sighed in frustration, then went to her bag.

Gail routed out her mobile telephone and checked the messages, she stared in disbelief for a moment, then turned towards Lucas.

'You better hurry before one of the vultures beats you to the carcass?' Lucas said in a dark tone, as he watched her carefully.

Gail shook her head disapprovingly, then grabbed her back and returned to him. 'Be good' she warned sarcastically and placed a soft kiss on his lips, before placing a kiss on Luke's forehead and heading out of the Study.

Lucas let out a small laugh as he watched her go, then picked up Luke and decided to go find his eldest.

* * *

Matt sat irritated in his office, pressing buttons on his desk fan in an attempt to make it work better. The old hospital air conditioning was not sufficient protection for this heat and he was beginning to get frustrated with everything around him.

Matt had been called in unexpectedly, due to the severity of the accident that Selena had been involved in. He was not impressed that he had been dragged away from his date, especially when he had finally allowed himself to express his true desires for her. This whole situation was unfortunate, any other Doctor could have attended to Selena; however, he had been called in and now he had to decide the most appropriate way to deliver the bad news to her. He did not understand why he had been called in and resented the position he had been put in.

'Maybe you're the best one to handle the situation objectively' Gail said reading his mind, as she entered his office casually.

Matt shook off the irritation he felt at being disturbed and stood up to meet his friend. 'Is my mood that obvious?' he asked with a tired laugh.

'It's written all over your face' Gail smiled warmly, 'Is it that bad?'

Matt let out a long sigh and shook his head. 'You know I can't discuss a patients prognosis Gail'

Gail let out a small irritated laugh, perched herself on the corner of his desk and placed her backpack on the floor. 'And you know I would never put you in a position that would impact your integrity Matt. God forbid I show concern for my friend'

Matt stared at her suspiciously for a moment, then relaxed and perched on the desk next to her. 'I'm just sick of it all, you know?' he sighed.

Gail sensed how tired he was, he was still looking after Lucy as Christie appeared to have lost all recollection of having a daughter and he was still working full time at the hospital. She knew exactly what he had been doing when he had been called in due to the accident, she had made Merlyn promise to tell her everything they were getting up to. She should be thankful that their date had been broken up; however, she sensed Matt needed the break and Merlyn was more mature than anyone could have guessed.

When Gail remained silent Matt let out a small laugh, he could not recall a time when Gail had been speechless previously and the thought amused him.

Gail stared at Matt suspiciously for a moment, then began to laugh herself. She did not know what was supposed to be so funny; however, the laughter was catching and neither one could stop.

Billy walked into the office with Ben and stared at the pair with disdain. 'Glad to see you hard at work while your patient is in agony' he snapped judgmentally.

Gail watched as Matt ceased laughing and a look of shame came over his face, then stood up and regarded Billy frankly. 'If the patient hadn't have crossed the road trying to get to an unnamed man, Matt wouldn't have been called in from his time off. You'd do well to remember that' she stated and stood her ground as Billy tried to insert his dominance.

'Are you implying she deserved to get mowed down by a car?' he asked in disbelief.

'I'm saying that had she have remembered the sanctity of her relationship, she may not have been in this situation' Gail replied with a hint of amusement in her tone.

Billy let out a bitter laugh and shook his head. 'Careful, you're husband ain't' Billy warned.

'No he isn't' Gail challenged and squared up to Billy.

'That's enough' Ben ordered, as he took Gail's arm and pulled her back towards Matt. 'Is she gonna be alright Doc?'

Matt stepped in front of Gail, to block her path back to Billy and turned towards Ben. 'I can't discuss her condition Ben, but she'll live' he forced a smile.

'She better' Billy snapped abruptly, then left the office.

Ben turned towards Gail accusingly, who just rolled her eyes at him and sat back on the desk. He had enough problems with offending Rita without even trying that he did not want to challenge Gail; therefore, he just forced a pleasant smile and left the office to find Billy.

'Just she'll live' Gail repeated quietly, 'Is it really that bad?'

'I can't discuss a patients...' Matt started.

'Condition, I know' she sighed, 'Fine, I've got my story anyway. You need a ride home?'

Matt thought about staying a while longer, to ensure Selena was alright; however, the impatient look on Gail's face prompted him to log off his computer and head out of the office with her. 'If Billy comes back and I'm not here...'

'We'll tell him to take it up with my husband' Gail said sarcastically and headed out of the hospital towards her car.

* * *

Lucas sat with Caleb on his old friend Abe's porch, while the old man made them some lemonade. He had contemplated going to the hospital to torment Selena some more; however, he had decided to spend some quality time with his boys instead.

'Is Selena gonna be alright?' Caleb asked, concerned for his Teacher.

'She let Christie out on my wedding day son, you think she should be?' Lucas asked, as he leaned back on the porch swing with Luke resting on his chest.

Caleb thought for a moment, then realisation hit him. 'This was you?' he asked shocked.

Lucas laughed and took Luke's small hand in his own. 'We don't do anythin' son, karma's a bitch' he smiled devilishly, then rolled his eyes when Abe shot him a disapproving look as he came out onto the porch.

'My Rosie won't tolerate that language around her boys' he warned, then carefully placed two glasses of lemonade on the porch table before sitting down.

'Your Rosie ain't here to hold judgement ol' man' Lucas smirked and shot Caleb a playful wink.

'No but I am' Merlyn said, as she came out of the house and leaned against the porch rail with a mug of green tea.

Lucas glanced slowly over the girl before him, with her long flowing skirt and tight vest. The attire topped with the mug of green tea made him smile, it appeared she was attempting to take after her cousin. 'Well where did you sneak up from Missy? Harvard too busy to keep you entertained this fine evening?' he smiled knowingly.

Merlyn stared at him with irritation, then turned towards her brother. 'What are you doin' out so late? You have school in the mornin''

'Miss Coombs is gonna be off sick...' Caleb started to explain, then stopped when he saw Lucas narrow his eyes at him. 'You ain't my Momma, I don't need to explain anythin' to you'

Abe let out a long sigh and shook his head. 'My Rosie is the closest thing you'll get to a Momma boy, you better be ready to explain to her why you're out so late' Abe snapped, feeling protective of the girl.

Lucas stood up and handed Luke to Abe carefully, before leaning next to Merlyn on the porch rail. 'What my boy's doin' with his Father is no-ones business but our own'

'Well in that case I might as well go out on the town with M and leave all you boy's to it' Gail smiled, as she walked up the porch steps.

Lucas placed his arm around her, then pulled her in close and placed a soft kiss on her lips. 'You get enough for your story love?' he asked knowingly.

'For now soulmate' she said sarcastically, then signalled towards her car where Matt was waiting on the sidewalk.

Merlyn gave her cousin a quick hug then rushed down the porch steps towards Matt, waving at Abe as she went.

'You approve of this?' Abe asked, as he stroked Luke's cheek affectionately.

'I approve of less people to take care of right now' she sighed, then relaxed back into Lucas and allowed him to wrap his arms around her.

Abe watched the couple in a rare moment of public affection, then shook his head. He could sense something was going on with both of them; however, they appeared to be letting it go for now. He did not like that and it made him wonder about what both of them were hiding.

Lucas sensed Abe's inquisitive thoughts, then leaned down and kissed Gail on the shoulder before taking Luke from his oldest friend. 'We best let you get on for the night ol' man' he said and signalled for Caleb to follow him down the porch steps.

Gail glanced at Lucas over her shoulder, then back towards Abe. She had only just gotten here and was not ready to leave just yet. Suddenly she felt a strong force pull her and her feet started to move towards the porch steps. Unable to take back control of her body, she acted as though her exit was planned and blew a kiss at her Uncle Abe. 'You relax now and I'll pop by early in the morning to see you' she forced a smile.

Abe watched as they headed to their separate cars and hid his concern. 'Always a pleasure Rosie, be sure to stop by tomorrow' he called after her, then shook his head when they drove off.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

It was a bright morning in the cold hospital and Selena lay staring at the dull white walls in frustration. Nurses had come in to check on her throughout the night and she had been told that she was doing well; however, she was yet to hear a full diagnosis from Doctor Crower and it was beginning to concern her.

Selena knew this stunt from Lucas was just a reminder of what he could do, he was not so different than a child who liked to play with his food before he devoured it. Lucas had indicated that there were bigger things to come; therefore, she did not understand what she was still doing here and the waiting for starting to make her feel on edge.

'I hope I'm not intruding' Christie asked politely, as she entered the room quietly with a bouquet of flowers and placed them on the small table beside Selena.

Selena let out an irritated laugh and carefully sat up in the bed. 'The last person I thought I'd see in here was you' she stated and took a sip of the glass of water left by Billy.

'I know we don't know each other well, but I feel a familiarity with you and I was hoping to have a few moments of your time' Christie advised, as she started to pull up a chair.

'I'll be heading the article for the Guardian, so you can leave' Gail said abruptly, as she entered the room and took the chair out of Christie's hands before sitting down next to Selena. She had woken up in a foul mood after a night of horrific dreams and was not in the mood to deal with anyone today.

'I correct myself, you're the last person I'd ever thought of seeing here' Selena stated cattily and turned away from her nemesis.

'Oh don't be so dramatic' Gail said ignoring Christie until the woman uncomfortably left the room, then handed Selena a latte from the Cafe they both liked. 'Filled to the brim with whipped cream to top it off' she forced a smile.

Selena stared at the large cup and licked her lips, the coffee served here tasted like rocket fuel and she could not care less if her nemesis' offering was full fat. 'Figure be damned' Selena sighed, then took the latte and had a long sip.

Gail relaxed back into the uncomfortable bedside chair and shook of the dark feelings she was feeling for everybody. She did not know what was causing her the act this way, or why it was directed at her closest friends; however, this was not the time to be thinking about her situation.

'Trouble in paradise with your bestie?' Selena mocked, as she took another sip of her drink.

'My bestie is a handsome Harvard graduated Doctor and our relationship is just fine' Gail smiled, shrugging off the comment.

Selena narrowed her eyes at her nemesis for a moment, then relaxed and let out a long sigh. 'What do you want Gail? Isn't it bad enough that you're married to my ex and he put me in here? Or where you not aware of that?'

Gail stared at Selena curiously for a moment, then stood up and began pacing the room while she took out her tape recorder. 'Are you officially accusing the Sheriff of Trinity of causing your accident Miss Coombs? Speak up now so I can hear you clearly' Gail asked sweetly, not reacting to the statement.

Selena glared at the tape recorder and shook her head. 'Why our lovely considerate Sheriff would never be involved in a freak accident like this Mrs Buck. You must have your information mixed up' she said in her sweetest tone and remained calm.

Gail laughed and turned off her tape recorder. 'Why would Lucas bother hurting you? It's not as though he even cares what or who you do anymore' she said cattily.

Selena was about to mention Christie when she saw something change in Gail's eyes, her nemesis was still stood in front of her looking as pure as ever; however, she appeared different. Something inside of her warned caution and Selena thought back to how Gail had been with Christie since she returned from captivity. There had been no article or gossip on the subject, so either Gail did not know what had happened or she did not care. Selena had spent enough time with Gail to know that she was not easily swayed, so that just left the possibility that the lovely Miss Emory had turned bad.

Gail watched Selena closely and when she realised that she was analysing her she shook her head. 'Are you Freud now?' she asked sarcastically.

Selena could sense the darkness radiating off of her and decided to be careful. Before she had a chance to answer the question, the door to her room opened and Matt Crower walked in.

Matt stared at the two women for a moment, confused at Gail's presence here and moved towards the end of the bed. 'Sorry for the delay Miss Coombs, how did you sleep?' he asked warmly.

Selena let out a bitter laugh and folded her arms over her chest. 'Well this ain't really the Ritz Doctor. Can we get on with this so I can get out of here?' she asked bluntly.

Matt glanced over his shoulder at Gail and shot her a friendly smile, then turned back towards his patient. 'It may be better if we discussed your injuries in private' he advised, not wanting to do this with a third party in the room.

Gail sensed Matt's discomfort and started to leave; however, Selena held up her hand in a halting gesture, then turned back towards Matt.

'There's no secrets in this town Doctor, so just spill' she ordered, ready to take on whatever inconvenience Lucas had planned for her.

Matt looked at Gail, who just shrugged, then let out a long sigh. He had not wanted to deliver the news like this; however, Selena had made her choice and it was not for him to interfere. 'Considering the knock you took, you're doing really well...Unfortunately, there was an injury to your lower stomach, which was more intensive than we initially thought'

Selena rolled her eyes at his clinical way of speaking and laughed. 'So I'm going to have a scar...and what?' she asked amused at his concern.

Matt glanced at Gail, then looked down at the floor. He did not like this part of his job, it made it worse when he knew his patients and with his best friend being present this was unbearable.

Gail caught on to Matt's behaviour before Selena did and instinctively moved towards the door to leave; however, before she had a chance to escape, Matt gave Selena the truth.

'You can't have children Selena' he said bluntly, knowing there was no other way to make her take this seriously.

Selena held her small smile; however, the statement hit her like a hammer to the chest. She nodded slowly in acknowledgement of the statement and remained quietly in shock at the news that she had just been delivered.

Gail's mouth dropped open in disbelief and pity. She may not always get on with the woman; however, she would never wish this on even her worst enemy. Something inside of her urged her to get out of the room before Selena realised she was still there, so she quietly moved out of the room and squeezed Matt's shoulder reassuringly before she left.

Matt nodded towards his friend on her way out, then sat on the bed next to Selena and pulled her to his chest when she started to cry.

* * *

Lucas inhaled deeply and took in the fresh morning air, as he walked casually through the park whilst pushing Luke's buggy. Lucas would never have imagined himself as a domesticated husband; however, being seen in this light by his townspeople was working wonders for his reputation and he acknowledge every single person he passed, ensuring they bore witness to this new side of him.

Although he was embracing this side of himself for the time being, he had not forgotten about who he really was and his twin remained just underneath his service waiting to be called upon. In fact, he believed he was overdue on cashing in one of his deals and would have to think about which poor unsuspecting soul he wanted to call upon.

Lucas continued to stroll as he pondered over who he wished to torment; however, his attention was taken away from this line of thought when he saw Merlyn Ann sat on a blanket under a large tree with Lucy. He smiled to himself at his luck and pushed the buggy over to her, then took Luke in his arms and sat down beside her. 'Fancy seeing such a beautiful young girl all on her lonesome on a pleasant day like this' he said charmingly and secured Luke carefully on his knee.

Merlyn cursed herself for being too distracted with Lucy to notice Lucas' presence sooner and forced a pleasant smile. 'I ain't all alone Sheriff' she advised and looked over at Gideon who was perched a few yards away from them beside the tree. 'What are you doin' out here at this time of day? Ain't you got some work to do?'

Lucas glanced at Gideon with disdain, as the meddling mutt let out a low growl and crept towards them. He had hoped the dog would have disappeared by now; however, it appeared his love still had use for him. 'I'm Lucas Buck Missy, I can go anywhere I want at any time of day...If somethin' came up, I'm sure my Deputies would find a way of lettin' me know'

'As if you need anyone to inform you of anythin'' Merlyn said sarcastically.

Lucas let out a small laugh and nodded. 'I guess you've gotten to know me pretty well Merlyn Ann, who'd have predicted that? Where's Harvard today? Neglectin' you already?' he mocked.

Merlyn let out a long sigh and turned towards Gideon, who had stopped moving to focus on Rocky who had just joined them and had began nipping playfully at Gideon's ear. 'Matt's workin', a concept you clearly don't understand and I ain't bein' neglected by no-one' she snapped.

'Ah hell Missy, I do believe you're right. Being a teenage Step Mother with an older man and all, I guess you've always got someone's attention. It's a shame you ain't reapin' the benefits that type of relationship brings, it'd loosen you up to the finer things in life' he mocked, knowing Matt Crower was too noble to touch her in the way she needed.

Merlyn stared at Lucas and tried to hide her anger. She had been left looking after Lucy as Matt did not trust Christie's recent behaviour and although she did not mind helping, she was beginning to feel trapped and hated that Lucas could sense this. 'What's goin' on in my life is none of your business. Your wife stabbed her best friend and is now walkin' around town as if nothin' happened, are you really so self absorbed that you don't see a problem with that?' she asked irritated.

Lucas shifted Luke to his other knee and smiled. 'What's goin' on with my beloved is a family matter and will be dealt with accordingly. Like you said earlier Merlyn Ann, I don't need anyone to inform me of anythin'. If your cousins behaviour was so out of the ordinary then I'd step in, but as it stands my wife is performin' as she should in all departments...it's a shame we can't say the same about Harvard' he stated venomously.

Merlyn inhaled deeply and attempted to push down her anger, the last thing she needed was to lose control in public and lash out at the Sheriff of Trinity while he was taking care of his son. 'Matt Crower is performin' just fine, so you just keep your nose out you hear?' she said cattily.

Lucas laughed and shook his head, then got up and placed Luke carefully back in his buggy. 'If you need someone to pop that little cherry of yours and loosen you up, just let me know. I've got a feelin' you'll be waitin' a hell of a long time for Doctor Romeo to pluck up the courage to sort you out' he said sarcastically.

Merlyn let out a small laugh and stood up to meet him. 'I wonder how your new wife would feel about you propositionin' a member of her family?'

'I bet she'd thank me for helpin' remove the stick from your behind' he smiled devilishly.

Merlyn shook her head, then picked up Lucy and walked towards the dogs without saying another word.

Lucas watched her for a moment, admiring her stubbornness then laughed and started heading back towards his car.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Gail sat on the edge of Johnson's Bridge, dangling her legs over the side. She had wanted some privacy after hearing the news Matt had delivered to Selena and this was one of the few places where she could be alone these days. At this time of day there were usually some older men trying to get in some fishing before the school let out; however, today she was completely alone and she was thankful for the peace.

As if to prove otherwise, a strong gust of wind blew past her and knocked over her half full bottle of water. The bottle made a loud thud when it hit the wooden floor and this caused Gail to let out a long exasperated sigh, as she came to to terms that she was never truly alone in this town.

Gail had felt uncomfortable in her own skin all day and it was beginning to worry her. She thought it may just be sympathy over Selena's situation, although that conniving bitch deserved a fate worse than what she had; however, this feeling had been present on and off since the wedding and Selena's accident only increased the intensity.

Thoughts of her own lost child began to flow through her mind and she closed her eyes, trying to push down the pain. Her miscarriage had nothing to do with this situation; however, she had been revisiting the incident in her mind ever since she sensed what Matt needed to tell Selena. This town was cursed, she was cursed and she had willingly allowed herself to be caught in it's claws.

Her dark half Rosemary tried to pull her back into her subconscious, in an attempt to protect her from the sorrow she was experiencing; however, Gail pushed the interference back down, not allowing herself to be controlled. Something was terribly wrong, she could feel it and allowing herself to be split in two was not helping matters.

Christie approached her friend quietly, after spotting her red Mustang parked down the road and choosing to pull up beside it. Their relationship had been strained recently, Christie's memory loss had not helped that situation and she needed her friends help to understand what was happening to her. Gail had been distant, kept her at arms length and downright avoided her; however, there was nowhere foe her to run here and she was not leaving until she found out why Gail was pushing her away.

An intruding feeling came over Gail and she turned around to see Christie approaching her. Rosemary tried again to take control; however, she pushed that part of her deep down, burying it deep and then stared into the calm water when Christie sat down beside her.

Both woman sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes, then Christie chose to speak up. 'I read your article on the accident in this mornings paper, I expected more details. It's not like you to be so introverted in these matters, is there something wrong?' she asked concerned.

Gail let out a small laugh, but did not take her eyes off the water. The small waves were soothing and had a calming affect, she really did love this spot when no-one was around.

Christie felt herself become frustrated at Gail's lack of acknowledgement of her presence and picked up the small water bottle beside her friend, then threw it into the water in an attempt to gain some sort of reaction.

The crash of the bottle into the water caused a ripple in the calm waves and a strange hot feeling began to flow through Gail, as the soothing motions of the water had been taken away from her abruptly. She turned towards Christie and stared at her with no emotion in her eyes, that burning feeling was rising within her and it took over all of her senses.

Christie did not like the blank look in her friends eyes; however, she shrugged it off and was just happy to have her full attention. 'Something's not right here, I don't remember anything about getting hurt or of having Lucy. I remember some things that have happened here with you and Billy, but I don't feel right and I'm worried'

Gail continued to stare at Christie, unmoved by the woman's concerns. She was thinking about how she had lost her own child and how Selena now could not have any, due to a freak accident that Selena believe Lucas caused. Her thoughts turned to Matt and the tragedy he had to live through losing his daughter Claire, Matt who had overcome his ordeal in Juniper House and had now taken responsibility for looking after Lucy, as her own mother had somehow forgotten about her. That man was a saint and was a rock in her convoluted existence of late.

Christie watched Gail as she just stared blankly at her and let out a frustrated laugh. 'Gail I need to remember, I want my daughter and I need my life back!' she snapped.

Gail felt the heat flow through her veins and embraced the calm feeling of control it was providing. She took a deep breath and smiled warmly as she stroked her friends back reassuringly, then shoved her hard and watched as she fell into the river with a loud crash.

The force of the water had knocked the wind out of Christie and she screamed at her friend for help; however, Gail just continued to watch as the current became stronger and her friend was dragged towards the centre of the river. The water was freezing and was filling up in her lungs, she was finding it hard to breath and had to fight her way to the surface.

Christie flailed and screamed, pleading for help. She felt the strong current attempting to drag her deeper into the river and fought with all her strength to get back to the bridge; however, the power of the water was too strong. Suddenly she felt a hand grip her ankle and screamed in fright, all while Gail watched calmly from the edge of the bridge. As she felt her arms faltering and her body begin to be pulled deeper into the depths of the water, the last thing she saw was a malicious grin on her best friends face.

* * *

Lucas sat in his office holding his magic 8 ball, he had dropped Luke off with Abe earlier in the hopes of having some time alone to figure out which deal he wanted to cash in on; however, his senses were all over the place and he was finding it difficult to concentrate. Not only was this frustrating, he was beginning to think that something was going on behind his back and that just would not do in his town.

The door to his office opened wide and Gail walked in slowly, in the short cream dress he liked and her hazel brown hair draped loosely over her bare shoulders. Lucas disregarded his previous thoughts and placed the magic 8 ball down on his desk, then got up and moved towards his wife. 'I missed you this mornin' love. Not that I mind looking after our boys, but if this is gonna become a regular occurrence then we need to have a conversati...'

Gail stepped forward and placed her index finger softly on his lips, to silence him. She had not come here to talk and her urges were in overdrive.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, then sensed the heat flowing through her veins and smiled seductively. 'Well hell Darlin', all you had to do was ask' he advised playfully, as he reached for her hips and pulled her to him.

Gail knocked the door closed with her foot, then pushed him hard towards the desk. 'Since when do I have to ask?' she said sarcastically and placed her hands on his shirt, ready to rip it open.

'Ah-ah' Lucas warned, as he took hold of her hands in his. 'This ain't the time or place for that type of behaviour, at least not while I'm on duty without a change of clothes'

Gail stared at him intently, then shook her head disapprovingly. 'You're no fun anymore' she said seriously, then turned to leave; however, Lucas grabbed her arms and shoved her hard against the wall.

Lucas did not appreciate the comment and did not know what had come over her; however, he was not above forcing it out of her. He stared deep into her eyes and caught a dark glint, when she smiled devilishly at him he let out a small laugh and shook his head in mock disapproval. This was not Rosemary, he would spot that part of his love instantly, this was Gail and there was something different about her.

A knock on the door came and Ben turned the handle of the door; however, the door locked instantly when Gail glanced at it. 'Lucas?' Ben called, as he tried to handle again. 'Lucas it's urgent!'

'It's urgent Lucas' Gail mirrored sarcastically, as she pulled her hands free of his grasp and scraped her long nails down his chest.

'Give me 10 Deputy' Lucas ordered, as he moved his hand under Gail's dress and ripped her panties off.

'10? You really know how to make a girl feel special' she mocked, then smiled as he unzipped his pants and picked her up.

Lucas thrust his manhood into her hard, then began pounding in and out of her. He had been attempting to be softer with her recently, trying to be the caring husband he suspected he should be; however, this change in her tapped right into his dark side and he wanted to rip her clothes off right her, then punish her.

Gail called out at each painful thrust and bit her lips in pleasure. She needed this pain, craved it and her Adonis did not disappoint. When he sank his teeth into her neck, not caring that it was a part of her that was not covered by clothes, she let out a small laugh and scraped her nails down his back. Her climax came within a few minutes of him entering her; however, she knew him well enough to know he would not stop there. She felt him explode within her and he gripped her buttocks tight, then turned around and smashed her back down onto his desk.

Lucas was taken over by his desire and did not care how much he was hurting her, he sensed her desire to have him this way and he would give her what she needed. He nipped roughly at her neck and shoulder, as he pounded in and out of her. She bit his neck hard enough to draw blood and Lucas knew this was her way of showing acceptance. As their second climax rose together, he forced his lips onto hers to stifle their calls and erupted inside of her once again.

They kissed forcefully for a few moments and then Gail held him to her chest affectionately, before pushing him off of her and grabbing a tissue to clean herself up with.

A bang on the door came and Ben called for Lucas again, his voice more urgent now.

Gail did not wait to see if Lucas had finished re-dressing and opened the door when she had straightened up her dress, then smiled warmly at Ben. 'He's all yours' she advised, then turned towards Lucas. 'Better hurry love, I believe your presence is needed at Johnson's Bridge' she smiled knowingly, then headed out of the Sheriff's Station.

* * *

Lucas stood staring at the body in disbelief, luckily he had suspected something was out of place with Gail's behaviour and had ordered Ben to wait in the car.

'This is how I found her Sheriff, I finished work early and decided to go fishin' before the wife hounded me to come home...she just washed up over there' Chester explained, as he pointed further down the riverbank.

Lucas shook his head as he stared down at Christie's lifeless body, bloated with the amount of water it had taken in. This would not do, not so soon after the previous incident on his wedding day and certainly not behind his back. He knelt down and placed his hands on both sides of her face, then closed his eyes and opened up his minds eye. He allowed his subconscious to merge with her last position and watched curiously as he heard her last conversation play out with Gail.

He felt some push back, as though something was attempting to prevent him from seeing the truth; therefore, he dug deeper inside himself and unleashed his twin, to provide further clarity. The vision became clearer and he focused hard on Gail's subconscious, he could hear her thoughts just moments before the incident and the last thing she thought about before pushing Christie off the bridge was Matt Crower.

Lucas let out a small laugh and released his minds hold on the dead woman, without another thought he focused his power on her core and envisioned a seed maturing into a full grown plant. He envisioned a rose bush and the stages of it's development, then released his hold on Christie fully and watched as she began coughing up the water she had ingested.

'Jesus Christ!' Chester cursed and jumped back in horror.

Lucas let out a loud sigh, then got up and went to Chester. Placing his hands firmly on the man's shoulder, he stared deep into his eyes to force all focus on him and put on his best southern drawl. 'You remember when you knocked that kid over on Lancton Avenue a few years back?' he asked casually.

Chester stared at Lucas confused, he did not know what was happening and his mind was all over the place. 'I...I don't...'

'Ah hell of course you do' Lucas interrupted. 'That poor young boy on his way home from baseball practice. You mowed him down like a bat outta hell after one too many beers, just before graduation day if I'm not mistakin'...It was a tragedy'

A flash back of the incident burned through Chester's brain and he tried to back up; however, Lucas' grip did not falter on his shoulders and he was not letting go. 'I remember Sheriff' he nodded shaking.

'And you remember what I did for you?' Lucas asked in a calm tone, while continuing to stare deep into Chester's eyes.

'How could I forget? I wouldn't be out here free if it weren't for you'

'Good' Lucas nodded and released his grip on Chester. 'Now you're gonna go straight up to my Deputy and give him your statement, of how you dove into the cold river to save our girl over there...It looks like you got to her in the nick of time, you're a hero' he smiled, as he patted Chester on the back reassuringly.

Chester stared blankly at Lucas, unable to comprehend what the man was saying. 'But she was dead Sheriff' he said in disbelief.

'Have you been on those beer's again friend?' Lucas laughed, but the darkness in his eyes remained. 'She's alive and kickin' over there. Now go on and give your statement'

Chester nodded obediently and walked over to the navy Crown Victoria where Deputy Ben Healy was sat, knowing better than to go against Lucas Buck.

Lucas let out a long exasperated sigh and shook his head when he looked at Christie, shivering on the grass beside him. 'The thing's I do for my people' he said unimpressed, then bent down to help her up.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Caleb sat in the passenger side of the Mustang, playing with his hands nervously. He had not expected Gail to pick him up after school and he had sensed something strange about her ever since he had gotten into the car. They had been driving around for close to an hour, with little conversation and Caleb began to wonder what his cousins intended purpose was.

'So ask me' Gail said bluntly, reading his mind.

Caleb's eyes grew wide and he just stared straight ahead. He was used to Lucas being inside his head, but not Gail and he hoped he had not thought of anything bad in her presence.

'Wow, when did you get so reserved?' Gail laughed. 'The last I heard Lucas had plans for you and your recent questionable behaviour, has he not followed through?'

Caleb felt something stir deep within him at the mention of his Fathers plans. Lucas had promised to teach him to control his inner darkness; however, his Father had been too distracted with day to day life to focus on him recently. 'My Daddy's been busy...' Caleb started to explain.

'With me I suspect' Gail interrupted in a mocking tone and turned onto a long road they had already driven down 20 minutes earlier.

'I didn't say that!' Caleb snapped, not liking words being put into his mouth.

Gail sensed the darkness more prominently in her cousin now and whereas usually she would allow Rosemary to take the reins, she wanted full control of herself from now on. She was tired of allowing herself to be split, it was time that she accepted herself for who she really was and took ownership of everything that came with it. She suspected that her split personality came with some secrets and she was ready to know exactly what had been going on. 'Something happened at the wedding and suddenly your Teacher is in a freak accident...I don't know what went on, but I get the feeling it involved you'

Caleb froze for a moment, unsure of how to react. 'Why would you think I had somethin' to do with anythin'?' he asked timidly.

Gail let out a small laugh, then pulled the car over and turned off the engine. 'Because I can barely stand to look at you without wanting to hurt you and I learned years ago to trust my instincts'

Caleb felt his darkness began to flow through his veins, providing a wave of confidence. He turned towards his cousin and regarded her honestly. 'You don't think I wanna hurt you too?' he asked calmly.

Gail turned towards him fully and allowed her own darkness to flow freely through her. She suspected the way to the truth was through his questionable side and it appeared she had been right. 'Well now we're getting somewhere. Why do you want to hurt me Caleb?' she asked curiously.

'Why not? You kept me from my Father previously so you had him all to yourself, tried to split us up even more by gettin' pregnant and you only state you're my family when it suits you. Why would you wanna hurt me Step Mom?' he asked curtly.

Gail's mouth dropped open at his frank answer and she could sense the malice within him. Previously she would try to avoid this side of him; however, she was done with being controlled by the male's in her life. 'I admire your honesty' she said softly, then her features turned hard. 'You're a spoilt brat who ruined my life and career. You're ungrateful of the sacrifices several people have made for you and you're whining is worse than a little teenage girl. Now that we're finally being honest, what happened at the wedding?'

Caleb knew Lucas wanted to shield Gail from what they had done; however, the actions she took at the wedding were far worse than them keeping Christie locked up and if she wanted him to be honest, he would happily comply.

Gail listened intently as Caleb explained how he scared Christie when she was trespassing at the Buck Mansion, then how they kidnapped her and locked her away to prevent her from meddling with the wedding. He explained that Selena had found Christie and released her, then the actions Gail took herself when Christie threatened to destroy their family after the wedding, ensuring he emphasised the part of how she stabbed her friend multiple times in front of her family.

When he finished talking Gail felt her nails digging into her skin from her clenched fists. She pushed down her emotions so not to allow him to see her react and forced a warm smile; however, she wanted to scream. 'Alright, now that we've cleared all that up let's go get your brother and we'll see about stopping off for ice cream on the way home' she said calmly and turned on the engine.

Caleb was initially disappointed at her lack of reaction; however, he felt his darkness retreat at the sound of her warm tone and felt excited at the concept of ice cream before dinner.

* * *

Lucas walked down the long overly bright hospital corridor with purpose, giving pleasantries to his townspeople as he went. This had turned out to be quite the day and he did not know what to make of what was happening; however, it all intrigued him.

He came to Selena's room and lingered at the door for a moment, keeping her unaware of his presence. Lucas smiled as he watched her stare blankly out of the large window at the far side of the room, clearly confused as to how to take the news that she was now barren and considered allowing her the same fate as Judith Temple; however, that would be too easy and he was not finished playing with her just yet.

Selena turned towards Lucas when she sensed his presence and he just smiled devilishly, then continued on his way down the long corridor. She let out an involuntary shiver before turning back towards the window and staring at the world outside, unable to feel anything in her shocked state.

The events of the day had kept Lucas busy and he wanted this finished so he could head home to gauge the extent of his love's change. Usually he would not interfere with the natural course of things, especially when it was evident that the powers at work in Trinity had a clear plan for Christie to be eliminated; however, Lucas was not one to be controlled so easily and he made the rules around here.

He stopped when he reached his desired destination and smiled when he saw Nurse Stacy had taken it upon herself to look after their patient. When he entered the room, he signalled for her to leave and she left obediently without saying a word. Lucas stared at Christie with disdain and shook his head, this woman had truly outstayed her welcome and it was about time that things got back to normal around here.

Christie was jolted awake abruptly, as though someone had grabbed her throat and she stared around the room with wide eyes. She could not believe she was in the hospital again and had no recollection of what had happened.

'You really need to be more careful with your footin' Darlin'' Lucas said in a soothing voice, reading her mind. 'You nearly gave your friend Gail a heart attack when you stumbled off Johnson's Bridge'

Christie stared at him confused for a moment, then recalled walking towards Gail as she dangled her feet over the edge of the Bridge. She focused on that memory and suddenly recalled losing her footing, then tumbling into the River. Her mind was hazy after that and she could not recall what happened next, until her eyes opened to see this man before her on the riverbank and she was coughing up water violently. 'I can't believe I was so stupid...Is Gail here? I bet she's worried sick'

Lucas' features remained soft and he sat down in the chair beside the bed. 'She was terribly shakin' up, but I made sure she got what she needed' he smiled, trying to keep the amusement from his tone.

Christie nodded slowly, thinking about how the sight of her falling must have impacted her best friend and shook her head at how clumsy she was.

'So, here's the thing' Lucas said, wanting to speed this up. 'You need leave...right now'

Christie turned towards him confused, then let out a small laugh. 'Firstly, I'm not yours to order around Sheriff and secondly, I appear in no fit state to go anywhere'

Lucas' features turned cold and a small smile came across his lips when Christie shifted uncomfortably in her bed at the change. 'This form requires your signature, you will sign it and leave my town...You've had a good run here, I'm surprised you lasted this long but all good things must come to an end and I think you know your time has come'

Christie saw something dark pass over his eyes and shuffled back in the bed. A bad feeling deep within her indicated she should not argue here and she felt a knot form in her stomach. 'I'll go back to Charleston and take Luc...' she started.

'You'll sign this form, leave with the clothes on your back and head down to Wilmington' Lucas interrupted. 'I have a friend there waitin' for you, he'll get you on your way and everythin' will be fine and dandy'

'But Lucy...'

'Is none of your concern, neither is Gail or your old life in Charleston' Lucas advised, as he released his twin who had been itching to get out. 'You don't even remember havin' that little girl Darlin', you really think you're capable of takin' care of her'

Christie felt the words burning into her brain, as what little memory she had of her daughter started to wash away. She took the form when he handed it to her and signed it obediently, without reading it. 'I'll leave now, head to Wilmington and get on my way' she said, repeating his words in a voice unlike her own.

Lucas stared at her with a dark glint in his eyes as she signed the form, then smiled and got up from his seated position when she handed it back to him. 'Good girl, now there's a car in the parkin' lot with some cash in waitin' for you, you'll know which one. You do what you know is right and everythin' will be just fine' he reassured soothingly.

'Yes Sheriff' she acknowledged obediently, then got out of the bed carefully and started searching for her clothes.

Lucas laughed to himself at how easy it was for him to insert his control over people and headed back down the corridor towards the exit.

* * *

Gail stood in the back garden of the Buck Mansion, staring at the large decaying fountain she loved so much. She had left Luke with Caleb, knowing her cousin would not dare harm her child and had come out here in an attempt to gain some clarity. Something was truly wrong with her, there was no denying that now. She had goaded Caleb into lashing out and giving her the truth of what had happened previously, now her eyes were open and she was trying to process what she knew to be true.

Gideon skulked from behind the fountain and rubbed his nose gently on her ankle before laying down at her feet, Gail glanced at him lovingly for a moment then turned her focus back to the fountain. She had felt this day coming and what she had feared from the beginning of her relationship with Lucas had finally happened, her purity had disappeared and had been replaced by something truly bad.

'I wouldn't say bad per se, it's just a little more colourful' Lucas mocked, as he came up behind her and placed his hands on her hips tenderly.

Gail took a deep breath and ignored Gideon's low growls. She had hoped she would have more time to ponder over her own thoughts before he returned; however, it appeared her time had been cut short. 'I don't want a honeymoon' she sighed, disregarding his comment and keeping her focus on the fountain. 'I want this restored'

Lucas looked down at her curiously for a moment, then followed her eyes to the fountain before him. 'Done...anything else Dear?' he asked amused.

Gail stared up at at him and regarded him seriously. 'I'm not joking you know?'

'Neither am I, you want this fixed so I'll get it done. I'll give you whatever you want Gail, you just have to ask' he replied truthfully.

'Can you give me my old life back?'

'The one where you roamed from place to place like a gypsy, no personal connections just following on to the next story? I don't think that's in your best interest love' he advised, then placed a soft kiss on the tip of her nose.

'And trying to kill my friend on our wedding day is?' she laughed bitterly in disbelief, 'I'm sure you know by now that I completed the job earlier' she said with no emotion.

Lucas did not know whether to be worried or relieved that she appeared aware of her actions; however, he knew better than to allow his demeanour to change when she would be looking to gauge his reaction. 'What do you know Gail?' he asked curiously.

Gail hated his ability to remain cool in any situation and turned back towards the fountain. 'I know a woman should not know what it feels like to stab her friend repeatedly, or to push her off a Bridge when she miraculously survives her knife wounds' she said in a calm tone, trying to not allow herself to react even though her blood was boiling.

'Rosemary did those things, not you' he reassured her, as he stroked her back.

Gail let out a loud laugh and shot him a look of disbelief. 'Rosemary is a figure of the past, long before you and I. All that's here is me'

Lucas sensed the rage building inside of her and it excited him, this is what he had been waiting for and now that she had truly accepted all of herself, he was unsure on what his next move should be. Rather than reassuring her, he turned her around and pushed her against the fountain roughly. Ignoring Gideon's protective barks, he reached under her dress and was pleased to find she had not replaced the underwear he had ripped off earlier.

Gail shot Gideon a reassuring glance, then turned her full attention towards Lucas. 'I kill my friend and it excites you?' she asked, as she reached down and cupped his hard manhood trapped in his pants.

'You've always excited me Gail, this is just another layer of yourself that you need to get used to' he whispered in her ear, then nipped at it playfully.

'I'd rather not get used to my homicidal tendencies sweetheart, that's your territory' she said accusingly, then cursed her body for betraying her as she became aroused and leaned back into him as he started to kiss her neck.

Lucas was surprised at how calm she was remaining; however, he knew her and that was just on the surface. Deep down she would be re-evaluating all of her recent actions and decisions, then the inevitable push back would happen. Although their games amused him, he was not in the mood for any set backs when their relationship was finally progressing like it should and he knew how to take her mind off her worries.

Gail let out a low moan as Lucas ran his fingers up the outside of her thighs and stroked the soft spot between her legs. It was obvious what he was doing; however, right now she welcomed the distraction, even if it was his fault that she had turned out the way she had.

Lucas smiled when he sensed her acceptance and willingness to remain in denial for a little while, then reached in his pocket and tucked the folded up form into the front of her dress. 'Don't say I never give you anythin' and for what it's worth, the object of certain homicidal actions has been relocated for the moment, to allow you to gain some clarity' he whispered as he turned her around and placed a passionate kiss on her lips, then began to lead her to the back door of his property.

Gail stopped for a moment and looked at him with wide eyes. 'She's dead Lucas, I saw it with my own eyes' she snapped, attempting to hold in her sorrow.

Lucas laughed and shook his head. 'So was I love, you need to learn to trust the man with the star' he smirked sarcastically, then ushered her into the back of the property to have his fun.

-The End-


End file.
